7 Reasons To Do Your Best

. .

Wednesday, May 17th is the 137th day of 2017.

Question?  Where are you on achieving your goals and plans for this year?

Are you where you thought you'd be?  Are you where you want to be?

As I was praying for prayer requests of our ministry. . .I felt the Lord saying to me.

"Ask my children. . .if they've done their best?"

Truthfully, God already knows whether or not you've done your best.

We can fool our spouse, parents, children, employer, best friend and even our pastor but we cannot. . .let me say that again. . .we cannot fool God.

As I meditated on the matter. . .I felt led to share. . .seven reasons to do your best.

I felt promoted to look up best at dictionary.com where it is defined as:

“Of the highest quality, excellence, or standing; something or someone that is best.”

Without question, our Heavenly Father, in His compassion for us. . .gave someone of the “highest quality, excellence and standing”. . .He gave His best. . .His only begotten Son so that you and I might have life and might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Since God gave His best for us. . .should we give any less to Him?

Do we give God our best moments in prayer and meditation on His Word or do we give Him the residue . . . the remains of our day.

Do we give our best effort on the job or do we do just enough to get by and receive a paycheck?

Do we give our best offerings to God or just tip Him?

As I was thinking about this, I was led very specifically to Proverbs 3:9:

“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.”

The New Living Translation says:

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.”

The Message Bible says:

“Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.”

The scripture says that we HONOR the Lord. . .when we give Him our best.

The firstfruits represent the best part of everything we produce.

When we finally realize that everything we own belongs to Him, it makes our giving much easier and certainly more joyful.  We don’t own it anyway.

If He wants to use some of it for the Kingdom, He has every right to do so.

However, God doesn’t want all you have. . .He just wants your best.

What is your best offering?  Truthfully, that’s determined every time He tells you to give.

Your best in one offering may not be your best in the nextThat’s why we should seek His direction every time there is an offering and listen to what He says.  Determine what He would have you give as your best seed at that moment.

It’s also important to understand that the best offering is not a set amount. . .it’s whatever He says, whenever He says it and to whomever He tells us to give.

In reading these two scriptures, it’s very clear that God wants our best giftsHe does not want to be tipped . . .He does not want to be patronized with less than the best.

Every time you’re in a service. . .whether it’s a church service or a ministry meeting like the seminars I hold for the Debt Free Army. . .during the offering. . .do you ask yourself what is the very best gift that God would have you give?

Now let me ask you another question.

If we HONOR THE LORD with our wealth and the best that we produce as the scripture says . . .doesn’t it stand to reason that we dishonor Him when we give less than the best?

At offering time. . . we honor God by obeying His commands.  That is giving Him our best.

The dictionary defines honor as: “high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank.”

So it stands to reason that if we don’t give God the first, the best of everything we have, then we are not giving Him the highest respect.

Numbers 18:29 in the New Living Translation says:

“Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.”

What are the gifts given to you?

Is time a gift?   Do you give Him the best part of your day. . .when you’re refreshed, relaxed and ready to enter into His presence?

It’s clear to me. . .that God wants our best. . .not excuses. . .not promises of what we’ll  do one day. . .when it’s convenient. He’s wants our best now and that’s how we Honor Him every day we live.

The words of Colossians 1:28-29 in the Message Bible is a good way to sum up this blog.

“We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.”

So here is only one last question to answer. . .Why not the best?. . . Why don’t we give the best in everything we do?

7 reasons to do your best in everything your hands find to do. . .

1.  God is checking you out. . .carefully evaluating your performance.

Colossians 3:22 in the Message Bible:

“Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.”

By the way, as God is evaluating your performance. . .He’s not looking for excuses but results.

Never once does the Bible say. . .

Worry about it,

Stress out over it,

Panic over it,

Or figure it out.

But over and over again, we’re told to trust God.

Our Heavenly Father tells us to do our best. . .so that’s what we’d better do.

2.  You never know who’s discussing your next assignment, promotion or opportunity.

Ephesians 9:15-16 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil”

For the first 134 days of this year. . .have we been doing our best. . .making the most of every opportunity.

Are we expecting to experience previously unknown opportunities while utilizing previously untapped potential as we manifest divine connections and supernatural appointments?

3. Your best efforts in the marketplace will attract attention.

1 Timothy 4:15 in the New Living Translation says:

“Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.”

If you’re looking for a promotion, bonus or raise. . .has your work habits noticeably changed so far this year.  Has your boss or supervisor noticed a difference in you?

Yes, but Brother Harold. . .they ignoring my increased performance.

Time for a reality check. . .they may be ignoring you. . .but your BIG BOSS is not.

Your stewardship on your job is being watched by God.

4.  Your focus is apparent to those who marvel at your success.

The best reason to be focused on giving God your best efforts is found in Luke 9:41 in the Message Bible which says:

“Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this?”     

If God has given us the spiritual insight and scriptural promises to do our best and we’re not. . .how does He feel about that?

5.  Your persistence is recognized.

Revelation 2:2 in the Message Bible says:

"I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can't stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause that you never wear out.”

Napoleon Hill, the author of Think And Grow Rich, once said:

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

By the way, you don’t need a PHD to be persistent.

Dale Carnegie, the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, said:

“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

6.  The depth of your character is obvious to others.

Ruth 2:11-12 in the Message Bible:

“Boaz answered her, "I've heard all about you—heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law after the death of her husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers. God reward you well for what you've done—and with a generous bonus besides from God, to whom you've come seeking protection under his wings."

How you treat others while in the midst of adversity is noticed and rewarded by your Heavenly Father.

The verse says:

“God will reward you well for what you’ve done—and with a generous bonus. . .”

Can somebody say “Hallelujah.”

7.  When you do your best. . .someone is observing you. . .deciding whether to bring their influence and support into your life.

Psalm 32:8 in the Amplified Bible says:

“I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”

When you do your best. . .the One who wants your best. . .is watching you.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS